CROOKSTON GIRL’S BASKETBALL CRUISES PAST MENAHGA IN SECTION 8AA MATCHUP

The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team used a 16-0 run late in the game to open up a 20-point lead to beat the Menahga Braves 54-39 in a Section 8AA matchup in Menahga.

FIRST HALF
Crookston started the game on a 7-1 run behind three points from Halle Winjum, and two points each from Emma Gunderson and Libby Salentine.  Libby’s basket gave Crookston a 7-1 lead five minutes into the game, and Salentine checked out of the game for a break.  Within a couple of minutes, Menahga trailed 7-6.  Salentine came back in the game, and Winjum scored five straight points to build a 12-6 lead halfway through the half.  Menahga slowly chipped away at the deficit as Mackenzie Anderson got hot from downtown and made three three-pointers, and on her third make, she gave her team a 16-14 lead with 6:04 remaining in the half.
Menahga outscored Crookston 5-4 the rest of the half and took a 21-18 lead.

SECOND HALF
Crookston started the second half on a 9-6 run to tie the game at 27, the first tie of the game.  Four different players scored in the run for the Pirates.  The teams were tied at 30 and 32 before Crookstob built a 38-34 lead with 7:58 to go.  Crookston took over the game the rest of the way as they went on a 16-0 run over a seven-minute span.  It started with a Naomi Johnson basket, followed by an Abby Borowicz three-pointer and an Emma Gunderson free throw.  Abby Borowicz scored four straight points before Isabelle Smith scored six straight points, and the pirates led 54-34 with 59 seconds left in the game. The lead was Crookston’s biggest of the game.  Menahga scored the final five points of the game, and Crookston won 54-39.

Crookston improves to 5-4 on the year and will travel to Barnesville on Monday.  Menahga drops to 3-5.

COACH DARIN ZIMMERMAN’S POSTGAME COMMENTS ARE BELOW –